SULPHATE OF POTASH
[CODE NO. 3284]
Potassium sulfate (K2SO4) (in British English potassium sulphate, also called sulphate of potash, arcanite, or archaically known as potash of sulfur) is a non-flammable white crystalline salt which is soluble in water. The chemical compound is commonly used in fertilizers, providing both potassium and sulfur.
When potassium sulfate is heated in water and subjected to swirling in a beaker, the crystals form a multi-arm spiral tructure when allowed to settle. Potassium sulfate could be used to study spiral structures in the laboratory.
Two crystalline forms are known. Orthorhombic ß-K2SO4 is the common form, but it converts to a-K2SO4 above 583°C. These structures are complex, although the sulfate adopts the typical tetrahedral geometry.
It does not form a hydrate, unlike sodium sulfate. The salt crystallize as double six-sided pyramids, classified as rhombic. They are transparent, very hard and have a bitter, salty taste. The salt is soluble in water, but insoluble in solutions of potassium hydroxide (sp. gr. 1.35), or in absolute ethanol.
The dominant use of potassium sulfate is as a fertilizer. K2SO4 does not contain chloride, which can be harmful to some crops. Potassium sulfate is preferred for these crops, which include tobacco and some fruits and vegetables. Crops that are less sensitive may still require potassium sulfate for optimal growth if the soil accumulates chloride from irrigation water.
The crude salt is also used occasionally in the manufacture of glass. Potassium sulfate is also used as a flash reducer in artillery propellant charges. It reduces muzzle flash, flareback and blast overpressure.
It is sometimes used as an alternative blast media similar to soda in soda blasting as it is harder and similarly water-soluble.
Potassium sulfate (K2SO4) mineral name arcanite forms colorless, no hygroscopic crystal. It occasionally occurs in nature in the pure state in salt deposit, but is more widely found in the form of mineral double salts in combination with sulfates of calcium, magnesium, and sodium.
Potassium sulfate is after potassium chloride the most important potassium containing fertilizer being used mainly for special crops. Potassium sulfate constitutes 5% of the world demand for potash fertilizer.
Prior to 1939, the German potash industry was the chief source of potassium sulfate for American chemical and fertilizer industries, although considerable tonnages were being produced in this country by the interaction of potassium chloride and sulfuric acid as a side product of salt-cake manufacture. With the termination of European imports, the production of the salt was undertaken on a larger scale by the American Potash and Chemical Corp. through the interaction of burkeite (Na2CO3 2Na2SO4) with potassium chloride followed in turn by the successful recovery of this salt from langbeinite by the International Minerals and Chemical Corp. In agricultural use potassium sulfate is preferred for the tobacco crop of the Southeast and the citrus crop of Southern California.
COST ESTIMATION
Plant Capacity : 200.00 Ton/day
land & Building (40,000 Sq.Mtr) : Rs. 21.20 Cr
Plant & Machinery : Rs. 32.00 Cr
Working Capital for 2 Months : Rs. 45.63 Cr
Total Capital Investment : Rs. 99.73 Cr
Rate of Return : 32%
Break Even Point : 47%
INTRODUCTION
GRADES:-
CONTAINERS:-
BY PRODUCT - (HYDROCHLORIC ACID:-
FEATURES AND BENEFIT OF SULPHATE OF POTASH
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
USES
STORAGE AND HANDLING
PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURE OF POTASSIUM SULPHATE
NATURAL RESOURCES
THE MINERALS ARE:
SPECIFICATION AND TESTING OF SULPHATE OF POTASH
FERTILIZER – POTASSIUM SULPHATE (SULPHATE OF POTASH)
– SPECIFICATION
FOREWORD
1 SCOPE
5 HEAVY METAL CONTAMINANTS
6. STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION
7.0 SAMPLING AND TESTING
8.0 PACKAGING AND LABELLING
DETERMINATION OF POTASH CONTENT (FLAME PHOTOMETRIC METHOD)
DETERMINATION OF SODIUM CONTENT
DETERMINATION OF CHLORIDES OTHER THAN AMMONIUM CHLORIDE
USES AND APPLICATION
USES & APPLICATION OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID
CLASSIFICATION OF POTASH FERTILIZER
MURIATE OF POTASH
SULPHATE OF POTASH (SOP)
MARKET SURVEY
MARKET SURVEY (GLOBAL)
DEMAND FOR SOP
GLOBAL POTASH SUPPLY AND DEMAND BALANCES
LARGEST SOP IMPORTING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
GLOBAL SOP FERTILIZER INDUSTRY
DEMAND FORECOST
GLOBAL DEMAND OF SOP (SULPHATE OF POTASH) BY REGION
GLOBAL SOP CAPACITY BY REGION
RAW MATERIALS
MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF SULPHATE OF POTASH
PROCESS DETAILS:-
PROCESS FLOW SHEET FOR POTASSIUM SULPHATE AND HYDROCHLORIC ACID MANUFACTURING
PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM OF MANNHEIM PROCESS
RAW MATERIALS REQUIREMENTS:-
INPUT OF RAW MATERIALS IN MOLECULAR WT. BASIS
OUTPUT OF FINISHED PRODUCT ON (98% YIELD) BASIS
DIFFERENT PROCESSES TO MANUFACTURE
SULPHATE OF POTASH
MANNHEIM PROCESS
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE AND SULPHATE SALTS
NATURALLY OCCURRING BRINES
OCHOA PROCESS
PRODUCTION
SECOND STEP
MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF POTASSIUM SULPHATE
FROM SODIUM SULPHATE
EXPERIMENTAL
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
SINGLE-STAGE PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING OF POTASSIUM SULPHATE
SYMBOLS
RECOVERY OF POTASSIUM SULFATE FROM NATURAL COMPLEX SALTE
POTASSIUM SULFATE PROCESS FROM LANGBEINITE
SUPPLIERS OF RAW MATERIALS
SUPPLIERS OF PLANT AND MACHINERY (IMPORTED)
MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS OF SOP
APPENDIX – A:
1. COST OF PLANT ECONOMICS
2. LAND & BUILDING
3. PLANT AND MACHINERY
4. FIXED CAPITAL INVESTMENT
5. RAW MATERIAL
6. SALARY AND WAGES
7. UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS
8. TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL
9. COST OF PRODUCTION
10. PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS
11. BREAK EVEN POINT
12. RESOURCES OF FINANCE
13. INTEREST CHART
14. DEPRECIATION CHART
15. CASH FLOW STATEMENT
16. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET